The Ottawa free trader., 1887-10-15
Tie National Farmers Alliance held a

Tie National Farmers Alliance held
meeting at Minneapolis last week. An en-
tirely new constitution was presented ant
adopted. The preamble states that the oh
jects of the Alliance are to unite the farm
ers for the promotion of their interests so
cially and financially; to secure just repre-
sentation of the agricultural Interests II
Congress and State Legislatures; to de
mand the prohibition of alien cattle ant
land syndicates to oppose all forms OF
monopoly; to demand of Congress the pas
sage of laws to protect livestock Interests
from contagious diseases, and 10 demand
that the agricultural interests shall be rep
resented by Cabinet officer. This was
adopted without debate. The constitution
proper, as finally adopted, contains the fol
lowing principal provisions; The name Ii
The National Farmers Alliance, and the
officers are 10 be elected by States and by
ballot. The Executive Committee is com.
posed of the officers Each local alliance
in the States having State alliance shall
pay to the Treasurer of the National ALI.
ance so cents gear, 10 be forwarded by
Nov of each year. Each Alliance char.
tered by the National Alliance shall pay 25
cents a member TO the Secretary of the
National Alliance, the dues to be paid at
the time that the charter Is Issued. The
National Alliance shall issue charters TO
local Alliances only In States having no
State organization, and only to practical
and operative farmers over lS years of age,
women to be eligible but not required to
pay dues. The minimum number to pro-
cure a charter is seven. The annual meet
ings are to be held in January.
The resolution adopted on Wednesday
are substantially as follows;
Resolred, That the productive classes
should have no interest In factiOnal wars
while righteous reforms languish for lack
OF unity That railroad fares and freights
should be greatly reduced so that railroad
capital shall bear its just share Of the de-
preston, now SO seriously affecting agricul.
ture, and that the Inter.S State commerce
law should be 80 amended and enforced
that this end may be brought about; and
that all the States enact laws supplemental
TO the Interstate law.
The next finds the solution of transpor.
tatlon problem" In the ownership of the
railroads by the government.
The third opposes all systems of finance
which include the perpetuation of the ma
tional debt; favors free coinage of silver.
and paper money; and that 'In the reduc-
tion in National taxes the burden should be
removed from the necessaries In common
use, and the absurd proposition to take the
tax from spirits and tobacco in preference
to necessaries demands earnest protest. We
cannot readily believe that Congress will
turn over to the people cheap whisky and
tobacco In preference TO cheap salt, sugar,
lumber, coal and clothing"
The fourth favors graded income tax,
according 70 the measure of protection
wealth receives, thereby giving just and
greatly needed reliet to productive labor.
We demand such Legislation In regard to
to the liquor traffic as will prevent 1t from
increasing our taxes, endangering the NOR.
ais of our children, and destroying the use
fulness Of our citizens"
Resoloed, That we believe In amending
the public school system so that the educa.
tion of our children shall be of practical
value to them In after life. That the agri.
cultural colleges, magniflcently endowed
by the Government and dedicated to the
purposes of agricultural and mechanical
arts, should be held faithfully to the cOpdi.
tion Of the grant and as they have In many
cases been diverted, we demand that they
be restored.
ReSolced, That United States Senators
should be elected Dy the people; that In
order to accomplish all these and other
needed reforms and to secure and main.
tain our rights we urge farmers throughout
the country to aid in the work of immedi-
ate organization that we may ask in con.
cert.
A resolution was also introduced looking
to union with the knights of Labor 1t
was strongly opposed; and 1t is not be.
lieved possible of accomplishment.